1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to toothbrush containers and sanitizers. More specifically, the present invention pertains to a toothbrush sanitizing container having a heating means for vaporizing a quantity of water and utilizing the steam to clean at least one toothbrush within the interior of the assembly.
Toothbrush containers and storage devices are a well described device in the prior art. These devices provide an enclosed or semi-enclosed structure that shrouds the head of several toothbrushes to prevent contamination and contact with substances that may be harmful for human consumption. Generally toothbrushes are stored in a bathroom setting and in close proximity to a toilet or sink, wherein water splatter and contaminates are readily dispersed through the air. Protecting the bristle portion of a toothbrush is of key importance with respect to preventing contamination in these environments; however simple enclosures do no prevent contaminates such as bacteria and fungi from spreading along the bristles after an initial exposure. This exposure may occur when the toothbrush is in use, after which the brush is placed into the enclosed housing of a holder and left untreated.
More advanced brush holders have been developed to combat this known problem, and generally relate to devices that incorporate a disinfectant solution and further to a means of drying the brushes after use to prevent mold development. Those that utilize disinfectant solution include a reservoir of solution to immerse the bristles of a toothbrush, loosening debris and eliminating germs from the bristles between uses. Drying containers provide a heating source and generally and exhausting means rapidly dry moistened bristles and to evacuate the heated air from the container, which prevents festering of the bristles and fungi from forming thereon, which is a common occurrence in dimly lit, moistened environments.
The present invention pertains to a toothbrush container that provides a sanitizing feature for the same effect, however using a heating element and reservoir of water to vaporize the water and create a high pressure, high temperature steam environment that kills germs and disinfects a plurality of support toothbrush bristles within an enclosure. A heating element on a timer switch rapidly heats a small quantity of water, which transforms into steam that is conveyed to the bristle upper portion of the enclosure to heat and kill germs and fungi from the brush heads. The enclosure itself is adapted to support a plurality of toothbrush devices in an upright and covered configuration, wherein the steam cleaning means is stored in a lower portion and activated as necessary by the user prior to or just after use of a toothbrush.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to toothbrush disinfecting and storing containers. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. These devices generally relate to containers that utilize a cleaning solution, dryer or heater. The devices deemed most relevant to the present disclosure are herein described for the purposes of highlighting and differentiating the unique aspects of the present invention, and further highlighting the drawbacks existing in the prior art.
Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,859 to Evans discloses a toothbrush storage and dryer device having an upright cylindrical housing sized to receive at least one toothbrush axially therein. The housing is separated into an upper chamber and lower chamber, wherein a light bulb heating source is placed within the lower chamber. The light bulb heats the lower chamber, whereafter the heated air flows across the chamber boundary to dry a toothbrush positioned within the upper chamber. The head of the toothbrush is adapted to be placed within the upper chamber to allow the heated air to dry and sterilize the brush. While providing a novel means to dry a toothbrush using a heated chamber, the Evans device fails to contemplate the use of superheated steam as a means to sterilize the toothbrush head. The present invention provides a structure that quickly heats a body of water to create steam, whereafter the high pressure steam is sent through nozzles and into a chamber housing at least one toothbrush head for cleaning.
Similar to the Evans device, U.S. Pat. No. 7,225,559 to Padilla discloses a toothbrush dyer device comprising a substantially hollow housing having an interior chamber adapted to accept a plurality of toothbrushes via retaining clips, along with a blower/heater mechanism that circulates warm air through the interior chamber. The interior chamber provides a means to retain the toothbrushes, while the heater/blower mechanism dries the items. A thermostat is further incorporated into the housing to control the operation of the blower/heater mechanism to prevent overheating, while a magnetically latching door provides a means of access and closure for the interior chamber. The Padilla device includes similar failings as the Evans device, wherein no steam means of sterilizing the toothbrush heads is provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,874,247 to Hsu discloses another toothbrush dryer device comprising a housing having a cover that defines an interior of the housing, along with a heating device for heating a drying pan formed along the bottom portion of the housing that transfers heating to a plurality of suspended toothbrushes connected to the pan. Air is further heated within the housing interior, while a thermosiphon discharges moisture outwardly from the housing to prevent bacteria or fungi contamination. The structure of the housing is one that encloses the head of several toothbrushes, while each brush is suspended from a plurality of recesses along the bottom portion of the housing. The Hsu device discloses a drying device that includes a heating pan, but lacks the ability to superheat a container of water for creating steam, which is then utilized as a cleaning agent.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,987 to Palazzolo describes a toothbrush holder and disinfectant device, wherein a main container is disclosed having an internal chamber filled with a disinfectant solution for immersing a toothbrush head therein of loosening material and debris therefrom. The base of the container chamber comprises a plurality of upstanding protrusion support elements, which are spaced apart to support a toothbrush from the base of the chamber. Spaces between the protrusions allow sediment and debris to settle, while the toothbrush head is suspended thereabove by the protrusions and away from the settled debris that is trapped within the protrusions. The Palazzolo device describes a novel means of immersing and separating foreign material from a toothbrush head, which improves sanitation and contamination of the toothbrush head while in storage. This device, however, while providing a toothbrush container, diverges in spirit and structure from the present invention, which pertains to a steam cleaning toothbrush container device.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,565,819 to Herrera discloses a toothbrush sanitizer that rapidly sanitizes a toothbrush using a housing containing a reservoir of water, a tube connected for carrying the water to a pan mounted along the lower portion of the housing. The pan is heated by a heater device, which rapidly vaporizes a small amount of water delivered from the tube. A motor rotates an armature that allows a small quantity of water to be delivered onto the pan, while a timer controls the heating element and thus the vaporizing operation. The steam is utilized to sanitize the bristles of a toothbrush that is downwardly supported above the pan. The Herrera device, while utilizing steam as a means to sanitize, utilizes a structure that is adapted to function using droplets of water dispensed from a tube, as opposed to a heated reservoir of water that is carried through a series of nozzles for sanitizing a plurality of toothbrush assemblies in the upper portion of the present invention.
The present invention comprises an internal chamber of water that is adapted to be rapidly heated and vaporized into steam, whereby the steam is forced through aperture nozzles to an upper enclosed portion wherein at least one toothbrush head is positioned. The high temperature steam cleans the bristles of the brush head by removing debris and killing bacteria and fungus. The enclosure over the upper portion of the container is removably securable during operation, while the heating means is maintained by a timer switch to prevent overheating and fire risk. In light of the aforementioned prior art, it is submitted that the present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art, and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing toothbrush cleaning and container devices. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.